The first Monday of October is proclaimed by the United Nations as World Habitat Day to reflect on the current state of our towns and cities and the human right to adequate shelter. This year’s theme promotes sustainable development policies on housing in order to provide affordable homes to all. This makes step us back and think about bringing safe shelter to those left homeless in the face of the recent earthquakes or hurricanes. Or, on the opposite side of that coin, the challenges posed by rapid growth and development of major metropolitan areas. The capital of Santiago, showcased here amidst the surrounding mountains, for instance faced a tremendous population increase - from 1 million in 1940 to over 6 million today - making it the most densely populated metropolitan region in Chile. With the first policies and regulations aiming to control its growth dating as far back as the 1960s.